Ignition lock assembly

ABSTRACT

An ignition lock assembly includes a lock housing and an ignition lock actuator assembly. The lock housing has a first portion and a second portion that extends from the first portion along an axis. The ignition lock actuator assembly is received within the second portion. The ignition lock actuator assembly includes an actuator gear and a lock cylinder drive disk. The lock cylinder drive disk is at least partially received within the actuator gear. The lock cylinder drive disk has a drive disk body that extends between a first disk end and a second disk end. The first disk end has an inhibit feature.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 62/316,052, filed Mar. 31, 2016, which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A vehicle may include an ignition key cylinder to selectively operate anignition switch. The ignition key cylinder may rotate between aplurality of positions that correspond to various vehicle states. Theignition key cylinder may rotate away from at least one of the pluralityof positions due to unintended rotation of the ignition key cylinderwhile the vehicle is in motion. The unintended rotation of the ignitionkey cylinder may happen due to unintended driver contact with theignition key cylinder or through an impact created by input through thesteering system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an ignition lockassembly is provided. The ignition lock assembly includes an ignitionlock actuator assembly received within a lock housing. The ignition lockactuator assembly includes an actuator gear, a lock cylinder drive disk,and a biasing member. The actuator gear has a base and an annular wallthat extends from the base. The base and the annular wall define acavity. The lock cylinder drive disk is at least partially receivedwithin the cavity. The lock cylinder drive disk has a drive disk bodythat extends between a first disk end and a second disk end along anaxis. The first disk end has an inhibit feature configured toselectively engage a stop feature that extends from a keyed cylindersleeve that is at least partially receive within the lock housing. Thekeyed cylinder sleeve receives a keyed cylinder movable between a firstposition and a second position. The biasing member is disposed betweenthe actuator gear and the lock cylinder drive disk. The biasing memberis configured to bias the first disk end towards the keyed cylindersleeve.

According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, an ignitionlock assembly is provided. The ignition lock assembly includes a lockhousing that has a first portion, a second portion that extends from thefirst portion along an axis, and a shoulder that inwardly extends fromat least one of the first portion and the second portion towards theaxis. The shoulder defines a ramped region that is disposed adjacent toa notch that is defined between a first edge and a second edge of theshoulder. The first portion is configured to receive a keyed cylinderhaving a guide feature that extends radially from the keyed cylinder.The keyed cylinder is movable between a first position and a secondposition. The guide feature is configured to engage the first edge toinhibit movement of the keyed cylinder from the first portion towardsthe second position.

According to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, anignition lock assembly is provided. The ignition lock assembly includesa lock housing and an ignition lock actuator assembly. The lock housinghas a first portion and a second portion that extends from the firstportion along an axis. The ignition lock actuator assembly is receivedwithin the second portion. The ignition lock actuator assembly includesan actuator gear and a lock cylinder drive disk. The lock cylinder drivedisk is at least partially received within the actuator gear. The lockcylinder drive disk has a drive disk body that extends between a firstdisk end and a second disk end. The first disk end has an inhibitfeature.

According to still yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, alock cylinder drive disk is provided. The lock cylinder drive diskincludes a drive disk body that extends between a first disk end and asecond disk end along an axis. The drive disk body defines a firstopening that extends from the first disk end towards the second diskend. The drive disk body includes an inhibit feature on the first diskend that is spaced apart from the first opening. The inhibit featurebeing configured to selectively engage a stop feature that extends froma keyed cylinder sleeve to selectively inhibit movement of the keyedcylinder sleeve between a first position and a second position.

These and other advantages and features will become more apparent fromthe following description taken in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is particularlypointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion ofthe specification. The foregoing and other features, and advantages ofthe invention are apparent from the following detailed description takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a disassembled view of an ignition lock assembly;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the ignition lock assembly;

FIG. 3 is an end view of a lock housing of the ignition lock assemblyhaving a keyed cylinder in a first position or run position;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the lock housing of the ignition lock assemblyhaving the keyed cylinder in a second position or non-run position;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an ignition lock actuator assembly ofthe ignition lock assembly;

FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of a lock cylinder drive disk of theignition lock actuator assembly;

FIG. 7 is a bottom perspective view of the lock cylinder drive disk ofthe ignition lock actuator assembly;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the ignition lock assembly in afirst position or a run position;

FIG. 9 a cross-sectional view of the ignition lock assembly having aninhibit feature released from engagement with a stop feature; and

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the ignition lock assembly in asecond position or a non-run position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the Figures, where the invention will be described withreference to specific embodiments, without limiting same, it is to beunderstood that the disclosed embodiments are merely illustrative andmay be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are notnecessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized toshow details of particular components. Therefore, specific structuraland functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted aslimiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilledin the art to variously employ the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a vehicle may be provided with an ignition lockassembly 10. The ignition lock assembly 10 may be operatively coupled toa steering column assembly. In at least one embodiment, the ignitionlock assembly 10 extends into the steering column assembly.

The ignition lock assembly 10 includes a lock housing 20 and an ignitionlock actuator assembly 22. The ignition lock actuator assembly 22 isoperatively connected to a vehicle ignition switch and a lockingcylinder 30 having a keyed cylinder 32 received within a keyed cylindersleeve 34.

The ignition lock actuator assembly 22 is configured to selectivelyactuate the vehicle ignition switch in response to a position of atleast one of the keyed cylinder 32 and the keyed cylinder sleeve 34 ofthe locking cylinder 30. The vehicle ignition switch is configured toselectively control the operational state of the vehicle. The vehicleignition switch is rotatable or movable between a plurality of positionsthat correspond to various operational states of the vehicle. A firstposition of the ignition lock assembly 10 corresponds to a “vehicle run”or a “vehicle on” state. A second position of the ignition lock assembly10 corresponds to a “vehicle non-run” state, such as a “vehicleaccessory on” state, a “vehicle off” state, or the like.

The ignition lock actuator assembly 22 is configured as a push to rotatetravel inhibitor configured to inhibit rotation of the keyed cylinder 32within the keyed cylinder sleeve 34 as part of the locking cylinder 30from rotating away from the first position towards the second position,while the keyed cylinder 32 within the keyed cylinder sleeve 34 as partof the locking cylinder 30 is in the first position. The ignition lockactuator assembly 22 is configured to enable the keyed cylinder 32within the keyed cylinder sleeve 34 as part of the locking cylinder 30to rotate from the first position towards the second position inresponse to the keyed cylinder 32 within the keyed cylinder sleeve 34 aspart of the locking cylinder 30 longitudinally displaced inward towardsa centerline of the steering column assembly. The keyed cylinder 32within the keyed cylinder sleeve 34 as part of the locking cylinder 30may then be rotated towards the second position.

The lock housing 20 is disposed within a steering column assembly.Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the lock housing 20 includes a first portion40 and a second portion 42 extending from the first portion 40 along anaxis 44. The lock housing 20 includes a shoulder 46 inwardly extendingtowards the axis 44. The shoulder 46 may be disposed between the firstportion 40 and the second portion 42. In at least one embodiment, theshoulder 46 may be disposed within the first portion 40.

The first portion 40 defines a first bore 50. The first bore 50 has afirst diameter. The first bore 50 of the first portion 40 is configuredto at least partially receive the locking cylinder 30.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, in at least one embodiment a push to rotatetravel inhibitor may be directly integrated or formed within the lockhousing 20. The shoulder 46 may define a shoulder opening 52, a notch54, and a ramped region 56. The shoulder opening 52 may be disposedsubstantially concentrically with the first bore 50. At least a portionof the keyed cylinder 32 extends at least partially through the shoulderopening 52.

The notch 54 may extend outwardly from the shoulder opening 52 towardsan inner surface of the first portion 40. The notch 54 is definedbetween a first edge 60 and a second edge 62 of the shoulder 46.

The ramped region 56 extends from the shoulder 46 away from the firstportion 40 towards the second portion 42. The ramped region 56 isdisposed substantially parallel to the axis 44. The ramped region 56 hasan increasing height as the ramped region 56 becomes progressivelycloser to the first edge 60. An edge of the ramped region 56 isconfigured as an extension of the first edge 60.

The notch 54 and the ramped region 56 is configured to interface with aguide feature 70 extending radially from the keyed cylinder 32 of thelocking cylinder 30 towards an inner surface of the lock housing 20. Theguide feature 70 is configured as a shear lug or a guide pin. The guidefeature 70 extends through the notch 54 when the keyed cylinder 32 ofthe locking cylinder 30 is received within the lock housing 20.Referring to FIG. 3, an end view of the lock housing 20 having the keyedcylinder 32 in the first position or run position is shown. The guidefeature 70 engages the first edge 60 while the keyed cylinder 32 of thelocking cylinder 30 is in the first position or run position. Theengagement between the guide feature 70 and the first edge 60 inhibitsthe keyed cylinder 32 of the locking cylinder 30 from rotating towardsthe second position or non-run position.

The longitudinal displacement of the keyed cylinder 32 along the axis 44towards a centerline of the steering column assembly within the firstportion 40 displaces the guide feature 70 of the keyed cylinder 32beyond the ramped region 56 to enable the keyed cylinder 32 of thelocking cylinder 30 to be rotated from the first position towards thesecond position. Referring to FIG. 4, an end view of the lock housing 20having the keyed cylinder 32 in the second position or non-run positionis shown. The guide feature 70 is configured to ride along a surface ofthe ramped region 56 away from the first edge 60 to aid the keyedcylinder 32 in rotating from the first position towards the secondposition. The guide feature 70 of the keyed cylinder 32 is spaced apartfrom the ramped region 56 and the first edge 60 while the keyed cylinder32 of the locking cylinder 30 are in the second position or non-runposition.

Referring back to FIG. 2, the second portion 42 defines a second bore80. The second bore 80 has a second diameter that is greater than thefirst diameter. The second bore 80 of the second portion 42 isconfigured to at least partially receive the ignition lock actuatorassembly 22.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 5-9, the ignition lock actuator assembly 22includes an actuator gear 90, a lock cylinder drive disk 92, and abiasing member 94. The actuator gear 90 includes a base 100 and anannular wall 102. The base 100 includes a finger 104 extends away fromthe locking cylinder 30.

The annular wall 102 extends from the base 100 towards the lockingcylinder 30. The annular wall 102 defines a plurality of engagementmembers 106 that extend radially away from the annular wall 102. Theplurality of engagement members 106 extend towards the second bore 80 ofthe second portion 42 of the lock housing 20. The plurality ofengagement members 106 are configured to interface with the vehicleignition switch and change the operational state of the vehicle based onthe position of the keyed cylinder 32 within the keyed cylinder sleeve34 as part of the locking cylinder 30.

The base 100 and the annular wall 102 define a cavity 108. The cavity108 is configured to at least partially receive the lock cylinder drivedisk 92.

The lock cylinder drive disk 92 is operatively engaged with the actuatorgear 90. The lock cylinder drive disk 92 includes a drive disk body 120ending between a first disk end 122 and a second disk end 124 along theaxis 44.

The drive disk body 120 defines a notched region 130. The notched regionextends from the first disk end 122 towards the second disk end 124. Thedrive disk body 120 further defines a body opening 132. The body opening132 is disposed substantially co-linear with the notched region 130. Thebody opening 132 extends from the second disk end 124 towards the firstdisk end 122. The body opening 132 extends completely through a portionof the drive disk body 120.

The drive disk body 120 includes a central member 134. The centralmember 134 extends towards the second disk end 124. The central member134 is configured as a substantially cylindrical protrusion and isspaced apart from a body wall 136. The central member 134 and the bodywall 136 defined a disk cavity 138.

The drive disk body 120 defines a first opening 140 and the secondopening 142. The first opening 140 extends from the first disk end 122towards the second disk end 124. The first opening 140 extends at leastpartially through the central member 134. The second opening 142 extendsfrom the second disk end 124 towards the first disk end 122. The secondopening 142 extends at least partially through the central member 134.The first opening 140 is configured as a counter bore of the secondopening 142. In at least one embodiment, a shelf 144 is disposed betweenthe first opening 140 and the second opening 142.

The first disk end 122 faces towards the locking cylinder 30 having thekeyed cylinder 32 received within the keyed cylinder sleeve 34. Thefirst disk end 122 includes an inhibit feature 150. The inhibit feature150 extends towards the locking cylinder 30 and is spaced apart from thefirst opening 140.

The inhibit feature 150 is configured as a protrusion, a ramped region,an inclined region, a declined region, a recessed region, or the likethat extends from or extends into the first disk end 122 of the lockcylinder drive disk 92. The inhibit feature 150 includes a first inhibitsurface 152, a second inhibit surface 154, and a third inhibit surface156. The first inhibit surface 152 extends from the first disk end 122and is disposed substantially parallel to the axis 44. The secondinhibit surface 154 extends from an end of the first inhibit surface152. The second inhibit surface 154 is disposed substantiallyperpendicular to the first inhibit surface 152 and is disposedsubstantially perpendicular to the axis 44. The second inhibit surface154 is configured as a flat. The third inhibit surface 156 extends froman end of the second inhibit surface 154 towards the first disk end 122.The third inhibit surface 156 is configured as a ramped surface thatextends between the second inhibit surface 154 and the first disk end122.

The inhibit feature 150 is configured to selectively co-act, interface,or engage a stop feature 160 extending from a keyed cylinder sleeve endof the keyed cylinder sleeve 34 of the locking cylinder 30. The stopfeature 160 extends from a keyed cylinder sleeve end surface of thekeyed cylinder sleeve end of the keyed cylinder sleeve 34 as part of thelocking cylinder 30 towards the ignition lock actuator assembly 22. Thestop feature 160 is spaced apart from an extension member 162 of thekeyed cylinder 32 towards and through at least a portion of the ignitionlock actuator assembly 22. The extension member 162 extends from a keyedcylinder end of the keyed cylinder 32. The extension member 162 may beintegrally formed as part of the keyed cylinder 32 or the extensionmember 162 may be removably attached to the keyed cylinder 32.

The stop feature 160 is configured as a protrusion, a ramped region, aninclined region, a declined region, or the like that extends from orextends into the keyed cylinder sleeve end of the keyed cylinder sleeve34. The stop feature 160 includes a first stop surface 170, a secondstop surface 172, and a third stop surface 174. The first stop surface170 extends from the keyed cylinder sleeve end of the keyed cylindersleeve 34 and is disposed substantially parallel to the axis 44. Thesecond stop surface 172 extends from an end of the first stop surface170. The second stop surface 172 is disposed substantially perpendicularto the first stop surface 170 and is disposed substantiallyperpendicular to the axis 44. The third stop surface 174 extends fromthe second stop surface 172 to the keyed cylinder sleeve end of thekeyed cylinder sleeve 34. The third stop surface 174 is configured as aramped surface that extends between the second stop surface 172 and thekeyed cylinder sleeve end of the keyed cylinder sleeve 34.

The biasing member 94 is disposed between the actuator gear 90 and thelock cylinder drive disk 92. The biasing member 94 is received withinthe cavity 108 and the disk cavity 138. The biasing member 94 engagesthe base 100 of the actuator gear 90 and a portion of the lock cylinderdrive disk 92. The biasing member 94 biases the first disk end 122 ofthe lock cylinder drive disk 92 towards the keyed cylinder sleeve end ofthe keyed cylinder sleeve 34 of the locking cylinder 30. The biasingmember 94 biases the lock cylinder drive disk 92 towards a lockingcylinder 30 such that the first inhibit surface 152 of the inhibitfeature 150 of the lock cylinder drive disk 92 engages the first stopsurface 170 of the stop feature 160 of the locking cylinder 30.

Referring to FIG. 8, the first inhibit surface 152 engages the firststop surface 170 while the keyed cylinder 32 within the keyed cylindersleeve 34 as part of the locking cylinder 30 are in the first position.The engagement between the first inhibit surface 152 and the first stopsurface 170 to inhibit movement of the keyed cylinder 32 within thekeyed cylinder sleeve 34 as part of the locking cylinder 30 from thefirst position towards the second position.

The extension member 162 of the keyed cylinder 32 within the keyedcylinder sleeve 34 as part of the locking cylinder 30 extends throughthe first opening 140 and the second opening 142 of the lock cylinderdrive disk 92, as shown in FIG. 2. The extension member 162 of the keyedcylinder 32 engages the shelf 144 and is configured to move the seconddisk end 124 of the lock cylinder drive disk 92 towards the base 100 ofthe actuator gear 90 and compress the biasing member 94 in response to alongitudinal displacement of the keyed cylinder 32 of the lockingcylinder 30 along the axis 44 towards a centerline of the steeringcolumn assembly. Referring to FIG. 9, the longitudinal displacement ofthe keyed cylinder 32 of the locking cylinder 30 releases the firstinhibit surface 152 from engagement with the first stop surface 170 andenables the keyed cylinder 32 within the keyed cylinder sleeve 34 aspart of the locking cylinder 30 to be moved or rotated from the firstposition towards the second position.

Referring to FIG. 10, after rotation of the keyed cylinder 32 within thekeyed cylinder sleeve 34 as part of the locking cylinder 30 from thefirst position towards the second position, the biasing member 94 biasesthe lock cylinder drive disk 92 towards the locking cylinder 30. Thethird inhibit surface 156 engages the third stop surface 174 while thekeyed cylinder 32 within the keyed cylinder sleeve 34 as part of thelocking cylinder 30 are in the second position. The engagement betweenthe third inhibit surface 156 and the third stop surface 174 facilitatesor enables the keyed cylinder 32 within the keyed cylinder sleeve 34 aspart of the locking cylinder 30 to be rotated from the second positiontowards the first position.

While the invention has been described in detail in connection with onlya limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood thatthe invention is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, theinvention can be modified to incorporate any number of variations,alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretoforedescribed, but which are commensurate with the scope of the presentdisclosure. Additionally, while various embodiments of the inventionhave been described, it is to be understood that aspects of theinvention may include only some of the described embodiments orcombinations of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the invention isnot to be seen as limited by the foregoing description.

Having thus described the invention, it is claimed:
 1. An ignition lockassembly, comprising: an ignition lock actuator assembly received withina lock housing, the ignition lock actuator assembly, comprising: anactuator gear having a base and an annular wall extending from the base,the base and the annular wall defining a cavity; a lock cylinder drivedisk at least partially received within the cavity, the lock cylinderdrive disk having a drive disk body extending between a first disk endand a second disk end along an axis, the first disk end having aninhibit feature configured to selectively engage a stop featureextending from a keyed cylinder sleeve that is at least partiallyreceived within the lock housing having a keyed cylinder movable betweena first position and a second position; and a biasing member disposedbetween the actuator gear and the lock cylinder drive disk, the biasingmember configured to bias the first disk end towards the keyed cylindersleeve.
 2. The ignition lock assembly of claim 1, wherein the inhibitfeature includes a first inhibit surface extending from the first diskend, a second inhibit surface extending from an end of the first inhibitsurface, and a third inhibit surface extending between the secondinhibit surface and the first disk end.
 3. The ignition lock assembly ofclaim 2, wherein the stop feature includes a first stop surfaceextending from a keyed cylinder sleeve end surface, a second stopsurface extending from an end of the first stop surface, and a thirdstop surface extending between the second stop surface and the keyedcylinder sleeve end surface.
 4. The ignition lock assembly of claim 3,wherein the first inhibit surface engages the first stop surface whilethe keyed cylinder received within the keyed cylinder sleeve is in thefirst position, to inhibit movement of the keyed cylinder between thefirst position and the second position.
 5. The ignition lock assembly ofclaim 4, wherein the drive disk body defines a first opening extendingfrom the first disk end towards the second disk end.
 6. The ignitionlock assembly of claim 5, wherein the drive disk body defines a secondopening extending from the second disk end towards the first disk end,the second opening is disposed coaxially with the first opening.
 7. Theignition lock assembly of claim 6, wherein the drive disk body includesa shelf disposed between the first opening and the second opening. 8.The ignition lock assembly of claim 7, wherein the keyed cylinderincludes an extension member extending through the first opening and thesecond opening of the drive disk body.
 9. The ignition lock assembly ofclaim 8, wherein in response to a longitudinal displacement of the keyedcylinder along the axis, the extension member moves the second disk endtowards the base of the actuator gear to release the first inhibitsurface from engagement with the first stop surface and enables thekeyed cylinder to be rotated towards the second position.
 10. Theignition lock assembly of claim 9, wherein the third inhibit surfaceengages the third stop surface while the keyed cylinder is in the secondposition.
 11. An ignition lock assembly, comprising: a lock housinghaving a first portion, a second portion extending from the firstportion along an axis, and a shoulder inwardly extending from at leastone of the first portion and the second portion towards the axis, theshoulder defining a ramped region disposed adjacent to a notch definedbetween a first edge and a second edge of the shoulder, the firstportion being configured to receive a keyed cylinder having a guidefeature extending radially from the keyed cylinder, the keyed cylindermoveable between a first position and a second position, the guidefeature being configured to engage the first edge to inhibit movement ofthe keyed cylinder from the first position towards the second position.12. The ignition lock assembly of claim 11, wherein the guide feature isspaced apart from the ramped region and the first edge while the keyedcylinder is in the second position.
 13. An ignition lock assembly,comprising: a lock housing having a first portion and a second portionextending from the first portion along an axis; and an ignition lockactuator assembly received within the second portion, the ignition lockactuator assembly, comprising: an actuator gear; and a lock cylinderdrive disk at least partially received within the actuator gear, thelock cylinder drive disk having a drive disk body extending between afirst disk end and a second disk end, the first disk end having aninhibit feature.
 14. The ignition lock assembly of claim 13, furthercomprising a biasing member disposed between the actuator gear and thelock cylinder drive disk.
 15. The ignition lock assembly of claim 14,wherein the drive disk body defines a first opening extending from thefirst disk end towards the second disk end.
 16. The ignition lockassembly of claim 15, wherein the first disk end faces towards a keyedcylinder rotatably disposed within a keyed cylinder sleeve that is atleast partially received within the first portion.
 17. The ignition lockassembly of claim 16, wherein the keyed cylinder sleeve includes a stopfeature extending from a keyed cylinder sleeve end surface and anextension member spaced apart from stop feature and extending from akeyed cylinder end.
 18. The ignition lock assembly of claim 17, whereinthe keyed cylinder is rotatable within the keyed cylinder sleeve aboutthe axis between a first position and a second position and islongitudinally displaceable along the axis.
 19. The ignition lockassembly of claim 18, wherein a first inhibit surface of the inhibitfeature engages a first stop surface of the stop feature while the keyedcylinder is in the first portion, to inhibit rotation of the keyedcylinder towards the second position.
 20. The ignition lock assembly ofclaim 18, wherein in response to a longitudinal displacement of thekeyed cylinder along the axis, the extension member of the keyedcylinder moves the lock cylinder drive disk to compress the biasingmember and releases the first inhibit surface of the inhibit featurefrom engagement with the first stop surface of the stop feature, toenable rotation of the keyed cylinder towards the second position.
 21. Alock cylinder drive disk, comprising: a drive disk body extendingbetween a first disk end and a second disk end along an axis, the drivedisk body defining a first opening that extends from the first disk endtowards the second disk end and an inhibit feature on the first disk endthat is spaced apart from the first opening, the inhibit feature beingconfigured to selectively engage a stop feature extending from a keyedcylinder sleeve to selectively inhibit movement of the keyed cylindersleeve between a first position and a second position.